BMJ 1995;311:527 (26 August)

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Consultant's suspension leads to Commons reprimand

The case of a British doctor who was suspended on full pay for nearly 12 years at a cost of £600000 has led to demands by an all party committee of members of parliament for robust action by the NHS to prevent such delays happening again. The committee also wants disciplinary moves against those responsible. In its reprimand the Commons public accounts committee is not satisfied that the NHS Executive has taken appropriate action concerning disciplinary proceedings against medical staff and instructs it to do so and report back in 12 months.

Dr Bridget O'Connell, a consultant paediatrician at King George Hospital, Ilford, was suspended on full pay from November 1982 until May 1994, when all allegations against her were withdrawn. The total cost, including damages paid to Dr O'Connell, was £593409 plus about £50000 in NHS legal costs.

When the dispute was resolved in her favour Dr O'Connell, who . . . [Full text of this article]


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